Debasement

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DEFINITION of 'Debasement'

1. To lower the value, quality or status of something or someone.

2. To lower the value (of a coin) by adding metal of inferior value.

INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS 'Debasement'

In other words, debasement is the degrading of the value of something or character of someone. In the context of coins, it is the process of melting down a coin and mixing it with a lower quality metal to create additional coins of the same denomination.